Feeder foe nailing machines



' (Nomaden.) unsere-sheet r 'I'. L. SMTH 8v W. S. DOIG.-

FEEDER PGE NAILING MACHINES.,

Patented May 1883.

WITN ESSES.:

(Nq Model.) 4 sheetssheen T. L. SMITH 8U W.`s. "Dom l ,PEBBBR FORNAILING MACHINES. A No. 276,639. A v PatentedlVIay 1,1883.

(Nomodel.) 4sneets-sheens.

T. L. SMITH 8v W. S. DIG.

FEEDER PoR MAILING MACHINES.

vPamigened May 1, 1883.

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y WITN ESSES.

wheets-sieem 4. vT. L. SMITH 8v WLS. DOIG.

FEEDER FOR NAILNG MACHINES.

` 'Patented May 1,1883. Wi EV- E; EL.

INVE NTO RS 2 J5/$645@ vzw di *l By {bei-f Afforney,

' STATES einen..`

frHoMAs-L. sMi'rH AND WILLIAM s. Dore, on BROOKLYMNEW YORK. u

FEEDER FOR NAlLlNG-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming par@ olf-.Letters Patent Y 4 Application rneaoctober 12, ieee. (Nommiei.)

To all whom it muy concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS L. SMITH and WILLAM S. DOIG, both citizensof the United States, and residents of Brooklyn,

Kings county, New Yorkfhave jointly invented certain Improvements inAutomatic Feeding-Machines for Nails, Tacks, dsc., of which thefollowing isa specification.

` Our invention relates to that class of feeding mechanisms which areemployed on machines for nailing boxes, Sac., and comprises,

" in the main, improvements on the machine described in our LettersPatent No. 265,166, of

l September, 1882.

The principal improvements in our present machine over that described inour said patent,are: the mounting of thecams which drive i the pointersindependently of each other and providing each with an elasticbacking-spring,

' instead of providing one spring for all; the

arrangement ot said cams to be oscillated or reciprocated by directconnection with the cross-head ot: the box-nailin g machine, wherebytheemployment of the pawl-,and-ratchet device is dispensed with; thearrangement ofthe cam devices to be operated each by its ownconnecting-rod, and the employment of means for vinstantaneouslydisengaging `any one or more of said cam devices, whereby the the betterguided to their delivery-point; the

substitution for a cam of another mechanism for actuating the tiltinghopper, whereby the `latter is allowed to stand in one position dur--ing the intervals between the nailing opera y, tions; the provision ofadjustable slides at ,the outlets ot' the nail-hopper, in order that vsaid outlets may be properly adjusted `to suit the nail being used. Thisdevice prevents nails from working out endwise through said apertures;providing the spring stops with adjustable heads or plates, for reasonsthat will be hereinafter explained; a novel construction and arrangementof the pointer for separating No. 276,639, dated May 1, Isee.

or pointing off the nails, whereby it is made more readily adjustable;the pivoting of the hopper on the line where the nailways from thehopper meet those of the iiXed inclined platform, whereby the hopper maybe tilted to any angle without producing a gap or iissure for the nailsto fall into.

Other minor improvements are also embodied in this application, whichwill be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Inthe drawings which serve to illustrate our invention, Figure l is ageneral side elevation of our feeding-machine and a portion of thebox-nailing machine, showing the manner oi connecting the two; and Fig.2 is a plan of the bed-plate and gearing at the base ot' the machine.These views are on a small scale, and do not show all the details of thefeeding-machine. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of' our automaticfeeding-machine, taken in the plane of the line 3 3 in Fig. 4; and Fig.4 is a plan ofthe same. These views are drawn to a. scale about twicethat ot' Figs. l and 2. Fig. 5 is adetached plan of the cam device fordriving the pointer, and Fig. 51L is a side viewl ofv same, both drawnto a scale about twice that ot' Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 5b isa verticalsection or sectional elevation taken on line 5b 5b in Fig. 4, but on alarger scale than Fig. 4, and shows some portions ot' the machine notillustrated in that figure. The view is taken from the upper side oiFig. 4. Fig. 5 is a. detached and fragmentary vertical section taken online .5"in Fig. 4, but on a larger scale, the view being taken t'rom theupper side of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 6 are respect ively aside elevationand plan ot' the disengaging mechanism on the saine scale as Figs. 5dand 5a. Figs. 7, 8,9, 9"", and l() are detached views, drawn to ascaleabout twice that of Fig. 5. These will be referred to more particularlyhereinafter.

Referring especiallyto Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 5, A is the hopper, madepreferably with an overhanging back,a., to betterretain the nails when 9IOC spanned by beveled plates-b, securely fastened to thehopper. Thespacesb'etween these plates ing on arecessed bar, d', on theunder sideof the of the hopper.

hopper, between which and the plates b they are clamped by the screws,as shown. This construction enables us to adjust the widthot'-V theslots, tracks, or nailways for the nails to suit the thickness of theShanks of the latter. The front of the hopper is provided with lsuitableopenings, as shown in the detached view, Fig. l0, arranged opposite ytheends of the tracks or nailways f inthe hopper to permit the heads of thenails to pass as the nails move out These apertures are provided withadjustable plates g, secured to4 the front of the hopper by screws, asshown in Fig. 10. These plates have niches or recesses in theirloweredges,which are justlarge enough to permit the head of the nail topass freely, but not large enough to permit the point of a nail to workthrough at the side or over it. Several sets of plates g are or. may beemployed having niches or recesses of different sizes to suit Ithe headsof the various sizes of nails.

The hopper A is pivoted to the upper end of what we will designate ingeneral as the inclined track-platform77 B, which is fixedly mounted ontheboxnailingmachine. The platform B comprises a bed-piece, h, on whichare secured uprights t', the tops of which are connected by a'stout bar,j. To this bar are adjustably secured the inclined track-plates c', bymeans of clamps d/Qon the under side thereof, arranged precisely likethe clamps d, as shown in Fig. 7. The tracks f between the plates c'form continuations of tracks f of the hopper. The upper ends of theouter or marginal plates c are secured rigidly (or, if preferred,adjustably) to a tie-bar, k, which has lugs l. These lugs have pivotscrews or pins m, which engage lugs u on the hopper, the pivotal axisbeing in the line where the plates c meet the plat-es c end to end. Theintermediate plates c are connected to the bar 7c and held adjustably inplace by clamps 6', substantially like those lettered d and d. Recesses,as shown, are formed in the lower faces of the bars j and 7c, where theybridge the tracks j', in order to permit the heads of the nails to passfreely down the tracks.

Ve will now describe the pointer for pointing off or separating thenails, with especial reference to Figs. 4, 5, 5f, 5b, 5c, 9, 9i. Fig. 9is a view arranged to show the parts lying immediately under the lowerends ofthe track-plates c in plan and enlarged, and Fig. 9u is a sideview of the pointer on the same scale, showing the block u, in which itplays, in cross-section. This block u is secured adjustably to the platec by means of screws u u', (see Fig. 5.0,) which pass through slots into and parallel with' the lower end of the ini the plate, as clearlyshown in the several g. ures.l IThis plate u has a cross-groove for'med'5i in its upper face, near its end, in which rests and plays thepointer e, before mentioned, the tip of'which is wedge-shaped to takebetween,

J separate, and point off the end nail ofthe se- 1 ries in the track ornailway; Afsprin'gnv, ,l

mounted on the block u, has an elastic branch, which passes through orotherwise engages 7 the pointer', so as tokeep it normally retracted..if In the base-piece t is tixedly mounted a cylindrical rod or bar, o,arranged about opposite .-Ii

clined track-plate e e. On this bar o, at the proper distances apart,are mounted rotatively .,l' 8

the cam devices for actuating'the pointers,

which devices we will designate as entireties "t by the letters D D. InFigs. 5 and 5 one of nf these devices is shown detached andenlarged.85,`

Each cam device is kept in its place on the rod ."5 t

by two set-collars, 19, whereby it may be set or adjusted properly withrespect to the pointer it is to actuate. In the boss r ot' vthis devicej is pivotally mounted a curved cam, s, capable ghof swinging backlaterally on its perpendicularl y-arran ged pivot; and t is a springmounted also on the boss, and having an elastic branch arranged to bearagainst the back of the earn s and keep it pressed normally firmly butelastically up against its bearing (atq in Fig.' t i.

5) in the boss r. The spring t is strongI enough to compel'the cam todrive in the pointer between the nails; but it will yield should thepointer accidentally strike a nail or be other- Iool" wise'similarlyimpeded, and thus prevent the machine from being injured. In our formell y patent we provided but one spring for all the ha cams employed,which arrangement possessed the disadvantage ot' rendering all thepointers 10;.-

inoperativefor the time when one was impeded,

while in our present construction only that pointer which is impeded isrendered inoperative. l

The cam device D is oscillated on the bar o rio by mechanism, that willbe hereinafter described, and the cam s is arranged to impinge againstand drive in the pointer when said cam is turned over forward by therising of the cross-head of the nailing-machine. The

pointeris .thuscaused to part oft' and discharge,`

the end nail of the series in the track. To en# able the nail to escapefrom the track it is necessary, however, that the tip of the pointershall displace the spring-stop that closes the 12o end ofthe track andnormally prevents the am nails from falling out. This stop device isbest shown in Figs. S and 9, the former of which is an enlarged detachedview, showing the springstop in elevation and the receiving- 12 5 hopper:r in vertical section. 'Y Secured to the under side ofthe plate c is a'block, y, and in a groove in the outer side or face of this block arefixed, by a scre\v,t.he stopplate z and stop-spring a. The plate z has aslotted enlargement, b', at its extremity, and to this is adjustablysecured the stop-block e', f

arcane y :z

which is arranged to stand opposite the end of the track f'. Theadjustability ot' this block enahlesitto he set so as to take under oragainst the head of the nail whatever may be the size of the latter, sothat it will be properly dropped, point first, into the receiver', andits body and point be thrown forward, so that the pointer may properlyenter behind it.

` f", and their ,In order that the points of the nails, which dependbelow the plates c', may be properly guided, and the nails be preventedfrom crossing each other when wedged back by the pointer,weprovidesupplementary guide-plates g', (see Figs. Sand 9,) arrangedsomewhat below the plates c and secured thereto. These form alower trackimmediately below thel track ends are ypreferably bent down into the'receiver m, as shown. These serve also to prevent crooked or defectivenailsi'lrom passing, tothe nailing-machine, as only straight and perfectnails can ordinarily pass through both sets of plates. If acrooked ordefective nail should enter the track it would be checlre'd on reachingthe plates g', and would thus impede the movement of the nails behind.The operator would then see the diiliculty and remove the impeding nail.

We will now describe-the ".in'eans employed for giving-the cam devices Dthe necessary oscillatory movement, and the means whereby anypredetermined number of them may be rendered inoperative for the time.

Referring most particularly to Figs. l, 5, 5r, I and 6, j'is an armsecured to or formed on the boss r ot the ram device D, and to this iscoupled a couneetingrod, 7e', which is provided (see Fig. 6) with ahoolclike extremity, l', arranged to engage a rigid cross rod or bar,m', mounted in arms on theverticallylreciproeating cross-head (l of theiiailiiiginaeliinc. The engagement ot' the rod with the bar m' ismaintained by a suitable spring, a. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 1.It will berend ily understood thatas the crosshead C moves up and downthe cam devices ,D will be oscillated on bar o through the medium ot'rod 7c and arm j'.

1n the drawings we have shown but two tracks, j", and two cam devices1D, as these are sufficient to fully illustrate the principles ofconstruction; but there may be, and usually will be, provision fordelivering six or more nails simultaneously; and itis desirable that themachine may be adjusted or set to drive simultaneously any number ofnails less than the whole, and that this shifting be accom plishedinstantaneonslyas, for example, in nailing a box the operator may wishto drive six nails at one blow and four at the next,

thus alternating from four to six continuously.

, To provide for this we connect the lower ends ofthe several rods it'to the bar in', so that they may be readilydisengaged therefrom bysimply pressing them baclc. As a convenient means of effecting thedisengagement instantaueonsly, we mount a roclifshaft, o, in some ily heseen that one revolution part or tnc machineframe, and tix 'thereon (secFigs. il and 6) cams or wipers p', which, when the shaft o isroclrerhtake against the rods k', press them hach, and disengage them.When the wipers are turned baci; again `the Springs a draw theirrespective rods up again into engagement with bar in. On the end of theshaft o is an operatingarm', q', vwhich has, or may have, an ordinarycurved guide or stop, as shown in Fig. l. 1t is only necessary that theoperator shall throw this arm over in order to disengage thepredetermined number of cam devices I). When itis thrown baekthesprings'a' serve to again draw the hooked eX- `trcinities of thc rods lrintoengngement with Where it is not desirable to provide means fordisengaging some portion of the cam devices the bar o, on which `theyare mounted, maybe rotatively mounted on a shaft and be esci-hateddirectly by a connecting rod from the crosshead C, the cam devices inthis case being ixed on said shaft o by suitable means; or otherequivalent means for disengaging them may be substituted for that shown.

We will now refer briey to such parts of the hex-nailing machine as areshown in Figs.

l and 2, premising that this is a well known machine and will requirebut a brief description.

E is the main frame of the box-nailing machine, on which afeeding-machine is motilited. The crosshead C, before referred to, playsvertically in this frame, being actuated by a rod, F, and crank G on themain shaft H.

I is a bed-plate, on which the shafts H is rotatively mounted, and J isthe driving-pulley.

K is the tnbe'that leads the nail from the receiver or hopper to the dieor holderof the nailing-machine.

We will now describe thc means employed for tilting the hopper A.

0n the end of thc shaft H is a toothed or othergear -wheeh L, whichmeshes with another gear-wheel, M, of twice its size, mounted rotativelyon the bed-plate l. It will read ot shaft El, which corresponds to onereciprocatilon of the crosshead C, and'conseqnentlyone nailing op`eration, will turn wheel M half way around. 0n the wheel M, or itsshaft, we mount a crankarm, h, and to the wrist ot' this crank a rope orother dexiole connector, i', pas'ses'over a pulley, N, mounted inhangers or otherwise, and takes hold of the rear end otl the hopper A.Thus when the nailingmechanism drives one nail or set ot' nails thehopper brought np to aposition about parallel with the part B, as shownin Figs. 1 and 3, and at the next nailing operation it drops to theposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, standing still during theinterval between the nailing operations in whatever position it mayhappen to be. This allows time for the nails to assume their properpositions in the tracks.

lt will he understood that the lower portion only 'the upper portion bemade of ilexible in a-v j terral.

of the connectors i might be a rigid rod, and

- We have described our machinejust as it is represented. in thedrawings; but it must be understood that we do not limit ourselves tothe precise construction shown, as that may be departed, from i'n minorparticulars without materially affecting the invention.

It will also be understood that the machine may be extended laterally,so as to deliverany number of nails simultaneously. It is very importantthat the hopper A. shall be hinged or pivoted to the fixed part on theline where thertrack-plates ot' one part meet those of the other end toend. 1t' aiissure or gap is formed here, when the hopper is tilted backnails are lapt to fai-l intoit between the ends of the track-plates, andwhen the hopper is lifted the machine is seriously injured, This wouldbe likely to occur when the pontervwcdges the nailbaek.

The stop-plate s, where it is provided with a backing-spring, a', mightne hinged or pivoted to the block n; or said plate might he made ofelasticmaterial itself, and the spring a be dispensed with.

We are a-warethat it is not new to aetuate the tilting hopper of a nailiiig-machine directly from the cross-head by means ot' a connectingrod.As thecross'head moves down and up vto, its resting-point' with greatvelocity, this violent'movement dashes the nails out ot' the Having thusdescribed our invention, we t claim- 1. A machincl'or automaticallyfeeding nails,

. provided with anA independent cam for actuatingeach'ot the pointers,and said cams each provided with an independent backing-sprin g,

4 whereby when one of said cams and Aits pointer are renderedinoperativefor the time the others will not be ali'eeted, allconstructed and arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

2. ln a machinefor automatically feeding nails, the combination, withthe elasticallyretracted pointer,v of the cam s, pivotally mounted intheboss Ir., and provided with a backing-spring, t, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, in a nail-feeding machine, of a cani for actuatingthe pointer, the reciprocating cross head of the nailing inachine,and aconnectingiod arranged to couple the two together, substantially asshown,

erases whereby the movement of the said cross-head aetuates the pointer,as setforth.

4. The eombinatomvwith the track-plates, of the supplementarytracleplates g', arran ged below them to forni a guide-track. for thebod ies ot' the nails, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with "the stop plate having a slotted head, b', ci'theadjustable step e', mounted therein, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth. I

6. The. hopper A of a nail-feeding machine, provided with nailways inits bottom and in its front at'the ends of the hallways, and also withplates g,.constructed as shown, and secured adjustably lto the iront ot'the'hopper,

'to suit the size of the-nails being fed, as set forth.

7. In a machine for feeding nails to anailin g-machine, thetiltinghopper arranged to be lowered at one nailing operationandraisedat the next by means of the cross-head@ of the whichreciprocate it, a crank, h', driven fromy shaft, anda connector whichcouples the hophopper is permitted to stand at rest in each operations,substantiallyr as set forth.

nails and tacks to a nailingfinach'ine,the coinbination of thereciprocating cross-head of the nailing-machine, the pointers, andindependbeing connected independently to thefcrosshead, whereby one ormore ot' them can he disengaged from the cross-he'adand renderedtemporarily inoperative, substantially as and for the purposes setforth. y Y

9. The combination of thecam device D, provided with an arm, j', theconnecting-rod 7c', with hooked extremity l',- the spring n', tbe barm', and reciprocating crosslieadltl, the

lsubsttmtially as set forth.

plate c', ot' the adjustable blocku andnthe screws for attachingit tothe plate, the pointer and the retracting-spring unmounted onsaid blocku, all arranged substantially as set forth.

witnesses.

Witnesses: n I '1). B. IFREAbWrLLL,

dammi L. Tnmnivnr..

the main shaft, which drives the said ,cros's. head C, and at half thespeed of saidvmain per with the said crank h', whereby thesaidr 8. In amachine for automatically feedingv ent 'cams for actuating the pointers,each cam ln witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in thepresence of tworsubscribing .j

adapted to hold a mass of nails, with outlets` whereby the outlets inthe hopper may be'rmade nailing-machine and the main shaft and crank dposition during the interval between nailing IOS eam p', and-its shafto', all arranged 'to operate 10. rlhe combination, with theslottedtrack- .f

r, mounted to play in a groove in said block,

THOMAS iiifsamn.

